Tom Colicchio's Latest Venture

Crain's reported this morning that TC judge Tom Colicchio has added another project to his roster of restaurants -- TOM: Tuesday Dinner will open October 14 in a private dining area of Craft in Manhattan. Every other Tuesday, guests will be treated to a meal cooked by Colicchio himself.

The price tag? Hefty. The tasting menu starts at $150 and can go as high as $250 for a 7-8 course meal. Reservations are being accepted starting today by calling (212) 400-6495 and have to be prepaid. The catch? The menu isn't announced until a week before, on the site tomstuesdaydinner.com.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

The idea of a supper club certainly isn't new. Magazines and blogs have picked up on the trend, outing some secret groups and popularizing many. I went to something similar a few years ago in Portland, Oregon, and while it was exciting to be surprised by the menu upon arriving, I have to admit, the steep price was a slight turn-off.

Would you pay $250 for the honor of a courses-long meal prepared by the top Top Chef judge? Is it worth the hype or is it just another case of celebrity chef-dom? (More on that later.)

Colicchio also mentions that he'll be including guest chefs in some Tuesday dinners -- do you think he'd ever ask a contestant? My vote is for Richard Blais, obviously.